Legalize Marijuana (Law Essay Sample)

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Introduction

America has millions of marijuana smokers and it has been proved that the smoking is less dangerous and hazardous in the society relative to other drugs such as alcohol. In the United States of America, the war on drugs directs its emphasis on arresting the marijuana smokers. Many Americans have been arrested of marijuana charges in Delaware, Alaska and the district of Colombia. In 2000 state and local law enforcement arrested about 734,000 people for marijuana violations and this was the highest ever recorded by the FBI. Since 1990s, about 88 percent of the Americans involved in the marijuana violations were for possession and the remaining percentage was for manufacture and sale. The statistics produced by the FBI have shown that in every 45 seconds, a marijuana smoker is arrested in America and the total arrests have exceeded the combined total of other crimes such as rape, murder and robbery. This is a report essay that aims to persuade a legislator to create, modify and repeal the law in order to support the legalization of marijuana.

Legalization of marijuana

As the war against marijuana has been waged in the united states of America, the prison system has destroyed many lives and a lot of families have been affected. These effects are more adverse than the ones that are caused by marijuana itself. In the districts of Columbia and some states in America, the medicinal value of marijuana has been established and in the year 2010, the American Medical Association requested for the legalization of marijuana in order to allow lawful studies of the medical efficiencies of the plant. Further, marijuana should be regarded as a health issue rather than a criminal offence hence the Americans should be incarcerated by choosing to use any natural substance. In addition, the modification of the American laws to support the legalization of marijuana is of greater significance since its legalization will save the huge amount of money that is used by the law enforcement agencies. It will also save the various American governments the amounts used in law enforcement and it will provide more traffic revenue (IDEAS FOR CHANGE IN AMERICA).

It should be known that the marijuana prohibition is based on the outdated disinformation. In the united states of America, the justification of the illegality of marijuana requires the selective application and distortions of the scientific records which causes a lot of harm to the law enforcement agencies, scientists and credibility of teachers in the country. In the past, the dangers associated with the plant have been exaggerated and the modern scientific predictions of the past. The American legislators should facilitate the creation and modification of the laws regarding the use of marijuana basing their argument that the associated marijuana dangers are based on the old time prejudices that were formed when the scientific researchers were not able to establish the exact impacts of marijuana. Contrary to these old perceptions, the people who have used marijuana for the last decade have demonstrated that it has no harmful effects on the society and individuals (AlterNet).

With the ongoing environmental debates in the entire world, the emphasis has been on the plants that are able to produce bio fuels. In connection to the issue, the legalization of marijuana would lead to the development of hemp which is an important crop in America because it can be used to produce bio fuels that reduces the emission of carbon. For instance, the American legislators should learn from the European nations and Canada that have developed the cultivation of hemp through the legalization of marijuana and realize that the marijuana prohibition in the united states of America is a very big obstacle to industrial development. As the country's policies are trying to promote the bio fuel development as an alternative energy source, the legislators should be at the front line in supporting the development of the industrial hemp. This can be achieved through creating, modifying or repealing the laws to legalize marijuana in America.

A legal and well regulated marijuana market in America will enhance the reduction of marijuana use and sales among children as well as their exposure to other types of more dangerous drugs that are found in the illegal market. When the marijuana is illegal, many teenagers are tempted to be involved in the sales because it is more valuable. Therefore, the legalization of marijuana will lead to the reduction of the excessive profits associated with its sales and the teenagers will get fewer incentives in the business.

The use of alcohol and other drugs such as tobacco which are legal for people remains to be the cause of major many health problems as compared to marijuana. This is a clear indication that the American laws concerning marijuana needs to be reformed. For instance, marijuana does not cause any damage to the immune system, brain and genetic damage. On the contrary, it helps in curing some diseases such as the respiratory diseases which are eliminated by ingesting it through foods and vaporizers (McCollum, B. 2001). The various reports have shown that no health differences are realized between the non smokers and heavy smokers of marijuana and it does not cause emphysema, birth defects, heart problems, cancer, strong addiction and liver damages that are caused other drugs and alcohol. Also the overdose of marijuana does not cause deaths and there is no single death in history that is caused by health problems associated with marijuana. With this in mind, the legislators in the united states of America should consider the legalization of marijuana as improving the lives of the citizens. The following figures show the annual deaths that are caused by other drugs and alcohol in America.

Substance

Tobacco

Alcohol

Illegal drugs

Legal drugs

Aspirin

Marijuana

Number of deaths

400000

100000

20000

15000

2000

0

Finally, the prohibition of marijuana does not stop people from using it. It only prevents the legal production and selling and stops the trafficking activities. Due to this, the prices of the marijuana increases in line with the status of the black market which together with the associated marijuana addiction leads to crimes in the country. To reduce these crimes, the American laws should be modified to legalize marijuana.

Conclusion

In their next session, the American legislators should fight for the rejection of the past outdated statistics on the dangers of marijuana and in turn establish the laws that will lead to the legalization of marijuana. The laws should create and modified to enhance the development of the marijuana distribution schemes, control and regulation that would be accepted by the general public. In the process, the legislators should come up with appropriate taxes that would be levied so as to fund the efforts of preventing substance abuse. This system together with the proper discouraging mechanisms will be suitable in sending a message that marijuana is not acceptable even if it is legal than otherwise. The legislators should know that legalization of marijuana will reduce the criminalization and it will make some users who abuse the substance to seek help from relevant authorities. Finally, the laws that will take the marijuana market out of criminal hands would enhance quality controls and purity.